This article was co-authored by Gerald Posner. Gerald Posner is an Author & Journalist based in Miami, Florida. With over 35 years of experience, he specializes in investigative journalism, nonfiction books, and editorials. He holds a law degree from UC College of the Law, San Francisco, and a BA in Political Science from the University of California-Berkeley. He’s the author of thirteen books, including several New York Times bestsellers, the winner of the Florida Book Award for General Nonfiction, and has been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in History. He was also shortlisted for the Best Business Book of 2020 by the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing.
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If you have a passion for telling stories, you might love getting practice as a youth journalist! Whether you're interested in writing, editing, or photographing your stories, we can help you get started!
Steps
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1Start as a youth journalist, by walking around with a pencil, pad and at times a small camera. Watch for things that just happen and seem newsworthy. Make notes, and write it up on your computer when you get home. This type of curiosity will reveal whether you truly are interested in the field of journalism.
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2Watch the news. Get to know the journalists. Study their methods and how they both operate. Learn from them and from other sources. Strive to be the best in the field of your choice.Advertisement
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3Show the ability to write and condense thoughts and facts. Start your own newspaper, even if it is about your family. Interview your aunt or uncle. Ask questions and take notes. If you write when you are young, your writing skills will develop along with your ability to interview. Both are important in the field of journalism.
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4Go to the library or book store. Ask to view the pictorial books and see how the journalist tells the story, with use of only photographs.
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5Join the school newspaper. That is a great way to find out if you are really interested in this field. Find a topic of interest, such as the poor lunches being served. Interview those that are responsible for menu selections, food quality and jot it all down in a notebook. Then research each link that has been provided to you. If you get satisfaction and enjoyment out of digging and delving into specific areas, then you are showing the ability of becoming a Journalist.
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6Realize that there are other areas of journalism. If you enjoy taking pictures with a camera, you might want to delve into the field of photojournalism. This is a very interesting journalistic field of of showing the news with the use of a camera.
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7Search the Internet and find out all you can about the journalism field. There are many different areas to choose from that might pique your interest, such as newspapers, TV, magazines or even photography, that you might find one particular area you would like to excel in.
Community Q&A
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QuestionHow old do I have to be to submit a story to my local newspaper?
Community AnswerYou can be any age to submit an article to your local newspaper. -
QuestionWhat if I like writing about a topic but don't like to interview, can I still be a journalist?
Community AnswerYou can find stories about something that doesn't need interviewing, so yes you can. -
QuestionI like to meet new people. What can I do?Community AnswerThat's a great quality for a youth journalist! Look for community gatherings in your area and interview people there.
Things You'll Need
- Pencil or Pen
- A notebook or pad of paper as journal
- A small camera
- Press Pass
Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about writing as a career, check out our in-depth interview with Gerald Posner.
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